Childbirth

When you are ready to have your baby, you'll go through labor. Contractions let you know labor is starting. When contractions are five minutes apart, your body is ready to push the baby out. During the first stage of labor, your cervix slowly opens, or dilates, to about 4 inches wide. At the same time, it becomes thinner. This is called effacement. You shouldn't push until your uterus is fully effaced and dilated. When it is, the baby delivery stage starts. Crowning is when your baby's scalp comes into view. Shortly afterward, your baby is born. The placenta that nourished the baby follows.

Breeched Birth: Caesarean Section or Vaginal Delivery?

Breech presentation is common in about 15% of pregnancies at 29 to 32 weeks.

Natural Childbirth

What is a Transverse Baby?

Anal Sphincter Injury During Childbirth

Active management of the third stage of labor

Heel Prick Test / Guthrie Test

Lithotomy Positioning

Evidence for Having a Water Birth

Water Birth Safety

What Happens When your Waters Break?

Assisted Birth: Forceps or Vacuum Delivery

Benefits and Risks of Forceps (Ventouse) Delivery

See more featured articles »

What do Contractions Feel Like?

Signs Labor Has Begun

Complications of the third stage of labor

Making a Birth Plan

How to Relieve Pain During Labor

The External Cephalic Version Process

Latest Childbirth News and Research

New guidelines recommend 2 hours of weekly exercise for postpartum women

New mums should be strongly encouraged to begin clocking up at least two hours of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity such as brisk walking and muscle strengthening exercises each week in the first three months after birth, when physically able, to improve health and well-being, say experts in a new guideline published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

26 Mar 2025

Cardiovascular-related maternal mortality has more than doubled since 1999

The rate of maternal mortality related to cardiovascular causes more than doubled between 1999 and 2022 in the United States, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25).

25 Mar 2025

Expectant and new fathers express the need for more support during pregnancy and childbirth

A new Penn Nursing study reveals that expectant and new fathers, particularly Black American fathers, express a significant need for more resources and support to better assist mothers during pregnancy and childbirth.

24 Mar 2025

Study links postnatal depression to disrupted oxytocin system during breastfeeding

The oxytocin system – which helps release breast milk and strengthens the bond between mother and baby – may be affected during breastfeeding in mothers experiencing postnatal depression, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

14 Mar 2025

WHO study sheds light on global maternal mortality crisis

Hemorrhage – severe heavy bleeding – and hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia are the leading causes of maternal deaths globally, according to a new study released today by the World Health Organization (WHO).

9 Mar 2025

DEVOTION focuses on understanding birth trauma and optimizing birth experience

As we mark International Women's Day tomorrow on March 8, the story of the COST Action on Perinatal Mental Health and Birth-Related Trauma: Maximizing best practice and optimal outcomes (DEVoTION) is a powerful example of how collaborative research can both advance women's health and support the next generation of women researchers.

7 Mar 2025

Oxytocin’s new role in delaying embryo development revealed

Oxytocin, a hormone already known for its role in childbirth, milk release, and mother-infant bonding, may have a newfound purpose in mammalian reproduction.

5 Mar 2025

HPV more common in men than women and linked to rising cancer rates

While the human papillomavirus (HPV) is most associated with cervical cancer risk and women, a new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) shows that the majority of people are unaware that the virus is actually more common among men than women and is associated with rising rates of other cancers that directly impact men.

4 Mar 2025

Rural mothers face unique challenges in breastfeeding support

Breastfeeding can be a challenge for many new moms, regardless of where they live. However, a new study from the University of Missouri highlights a unique struggle faced by mothers in rural America: a lack of access to support systems and information.

3 Mar 2025

Tocolytic drugs ineffective for premature birth after 30 weeks

The use of tocolytic drugs in cases of threatened premature birth after 30 weeks of pregnancy does not improve the baby's health.

3 Mar 2025

Maternal stress may disrupt infant gut health, study highlights long-term risks

Perinatal maternal stress may alter gut microbiota in mothers and infants, potentially increasing inflammatory bacteria linked to health risks. A scoping review highlights the need for better stress measurement and microbiome research.

3 Mar 2025

Routine psychological screening can improve maternal cardiovascular health

Integrating routine psychological health screening and treatment during and after pregnancy may reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and improve maternal cardiovascular health, according to a new scientific statement published today in a Go Red for Women spotlight issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

25 Feb 2025

Adverse pregnancy outcomes increase cardiovascular risk, even in unaffected sisters

A study reveals that women with adverse pregnancy outcomes and their APO-free sisters share elevated cardiovascular disease risks, indicating genetic links.

11 Feb 2025

Surge in violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo leads to healthcare crisis

The recent surge in violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has led to significant loss of life, trauma, displacement, and the destruction of critical health infrastructure, exacerbating an already dire situation for millions of people.

8 Feb 2025